History of Helmets
at Warwick |
Warwick High
School Football History
by Rocco Manno
Warwick’s
first documented high school football game was in 1896 against Goshen High
School. This has begun what is now the second longest rivalry in New York
State. With the absence of war years the two teams have met over 90 times.
Warwick
has always been a football town, and football towns begin with great
coaches and players. The 1920’s and 1930’s had coaches Jim Bono, Paul
Wolfe and Tom Shost. Notable players of the time were Lesando, Miller,
Krazniewicz and McVeigh.
The 1940’s
gave us coaches Harold Hall, Henry Lamoreaux, George Trutner, Rich
Villamil, and DeSoe. Familier players were Green, Lesando, Leinweber,
Garcia, and Penaluna.
The 1950’s
are the golden years of Warwick football coached by the legendary Ash
Morgan. Coach Morgan led the Wildcats for twelve seasons with and overall
record of 46-25-2. Warwick was “Little Three Champions” in 1953, 1958,
1962, 1963 and “Orange County League Champions” in 1962 & 1963.
The
current game field, which was built in 1960, is named after Coach Morgan
for his many years of service as a coach and teacher. Great players of the
time were Krasniewicz, Spect, Winchester, VanDuzer, and Fotino.
The 1960’s
brought an end to the Morgan era and the beginning of Joe Green. Coach
Green Coached the Wildcats from 1964 until 1974. The Wildcats captured
three “Orange County League” Championship titles in 1964, 1966 and 1967
under coach green.
Players of
the time begin with the famed “Four Horsemen” of the 1962 season; they
were Winfield, Watch, Kurtz and Green. Other 1960’s greats were Sciarra,
Escobar, Hernandez, and Beattie.
Jim Bongo
rounded out the last five years of the 1970’s winning the newly created
“Spirit Trophy” for the first time. The 1970’s were the leanest in
Warwick’s winning history but it produced some great players such as
Berry, Canevari, Horton, Folino and White.
The 1980’s
brought about the next era of Warwick becoming a powerhouse. John Garcia
coached the Wildcats from 1981-1986 and with him he brought the only
championship of the 80’s. Said to be one of the best Wildcat teams in
fifteen years Warwick won the 1984 “OCL” title in a what has been called a
Cinderella season. Under Garcia some players of note were VanDuzer,
Marcolini, Beattie, Corkum, Hagerty, Sirico and Miller.
The Joe
Viglione era of 1987-1992 began what has now become fifteen consecutive
winning seasons. Coach Viglione is one of New York States most successful
coaches. Under coach “Vig” the Wildcats won the final “OCL” title in 1990
and the following year came back again to win the first ever “Intersection
Class B Championship.” Warwick was now back to its former glory and has
not looked back. Key Viglione players were Denning, Rivera, Campbell,
Luciano, Kreutz, Moran, Blanton, Buckley, Geiger, Iannuccelli, Ward and
Mann . The Tradition of the handing down the #44 jersey was also started
in 1988. Then middle linebacker Bobby Kreutz asked Coach St. Lawrence if
his jersey #44 could be handed over to a fellow player who he felt had
earned the right to wear his cherished number. The number 44 jersey was
then handed down to Steve Bermingham and has continued to be handed down
to players whose heart and soul go into every play.
In 1992
long time assistant coach George St. Lawrence began his four years as head
coach with a Section 9 Division 2 Championship. Coach St. Lawrence
continued the winning tradition for all of his four years. St. Lawrence
greats were Whalen, Iannuccelli, Seastrand and Sirico.
In 1996
Warwick took another giant leap forward in the winning hometown football
tradition when then assistant coach Greg Sirico was named to the helm.
Sirico so far in his sure to be long career here at Warwick has already
amassed a 48-15 record in just seven short years. Due to his complete
dedication Warwick has been able to compete in the High School Kick-Off
Classic in the Carrier Dome three years in a row and won the Section 9
Championship in 2000.
Recent
players and future Hall of Famers are Mann, Sobotor, Sciarra, Morgan,
Luciano, Daly, Zimmermann, Hahn, Canevari, Baruffaldi and Smith.
The next one hundred years should prove to be just as exciting.
Historical info provided by The History of Warwick Football -George St.
Lawrence
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